Rotary expansible chamber devices brought about slant-axis rotary (SAR) apparatus for use in compressors, engines, pumps, and the like. Such devices present related stress problems.
In such devices, a bearing mounted rotor and shaft are angularly offset relative to their axis of rotation. As a result, substantial bending stress loads are imposed on associated components of the SAR device. There is a working chamber surrounding the rotor, and gas loads in the chamber apply alternating forces on a flange of the rotor. Thus, substantial thrust loads are also imposed on associated components of the SAR device. One approach to counteracting such loads has been to use rolling element bearings. However, these bearings have been found to be too bulky when the required size of bearings was employed to counteract the large magnitude of thrust loads involved. As an alternative, a threaded connection was used to secure a thrust collar to the rotor shaft to counteract such thrust loads. However, the threaded connection was subjected to high bending loads resulting in metal fatigue and potential breakage.
The foregoing illustrates limitations of the known prior art. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations as set forth above.